Aileron control system for aeroplanes



June 23, 1936. w. a. HENDERSON 2,045,269

AILERONCONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES Filed Feb. 23, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 M ss/g flengersan Attorney I n'uentor June B HENDERSON I AILERON CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES Filed Feb. 25, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nvento'r W s] filk deiwn v Bypwm Attorney JUNE 23, 1936. w B. H R N 2,045,269

AILERON CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES s Shets-$heet 5 Filed Feb. 23, 1935 Attorney Patented June 23, 1 936 PATENT OFFICE AILERON- common SYSTEM roa AEROPLANES Wesley Blake Henderson, Cuba, 111-.

Application. February 23, 1935, Serial; No. 7,893

8 Claims.

'I'his invention relates. to aileroncontrol systems for aeroplanes.

As is well known, in the present or ordinary aileron control system one; aileron is raised while the, opposite aileron is lowered. It is recognized that a raised aileron is more eflicient, than. one which is lowered. Notv only is the lowered aileron less eflicient, but it also produces a. yawing tendency, which promoting a skid to the outside of the turn, absorbs an amount of power which otherwise would be utilized in making a. faster and more easily controlled turn.

An object of the present invention is to; pro.- vide means which may be readily incorporated-v in. the. ordinary aileron control system of an aeroplane whereby, when desired, the ailerons may be operated independently of one another thus overcoming the above suggested and known objection to the present type of ordinary aileron control systems.

In accordance with the present invention either aileron may be raised or lowered without affecting the position of the other aileron.

An object of the inventionis. therefore: to. provide means of. the character: abovementioned characterized by extreme simplicity of construction and application, and the invention. together with its objects and advantages will be: best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the: accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated an application or the invention in the well; known, so-called Nieuport system in which the operator turns atorquetube by means of a stick thereby transmitting force to the horn'w-hich in turn transmits the force to the ailerons by means of push-pull tubes or cables.

I In the drawings:

Figure lis a diagrammatic view illustrating the application of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing the application of the invention.

' Figure 3 is a detail View showing the location of I the parts when the system is to be operated in the ordinary 'manner. v Figure 4' is a view similarj'to Figure 3 showing th location of the parts. when one. of the ailerons is. operated independently of the. otherl 50* Figure 5 is aview similar to Figure 4. showing the. position of the, parts when the other of the aileron-s independently operated.

Figure 6 is a perspective viewof the actuator arm. 7 551 Figure Z is. a fragmentary side elevational view of the actuating arm showing; the latch meansassociated therewith,

Figure 8 is a top planviewoi the actuator arm, with the. latch means associated therewith.

Figure 9. is an elevational view of one of the 5.; aileron control arms.

Figure 10- isa transverse sectional View through a lug equipped; slide and guide rail therefor.

Figure 11-. is a perspective view of the lug equipped slide.

Asis thought to be well. known, and as illus-- trated in the drawings, inthe, ordinary aileron control systems of an aeroplane the, operator turns a torque-tube lv through the medium of a control stick 2 to transmit movement to the aile- 15 rons. 3. and 4 through the medium of control wires 5 that connect the ailerons at the top and bottom thereof to an actuator arm 6= fixedin any suitable manner to the torque-tube t to. rotate withthis tube. These cables; or control lines 5- Zll are. journaled. over suitably arranged pulleys as suggested in Figure; 1.

In the ordinary system. the 5 are connected directly to the actuating armv 6. How-v ever, in. accordance with. the present invention, 25, instead of connecting. the wires 5 directly to the arm. 6' there is provided for each: of the; wires a control arml and; these; control arms are indicated by the reference numerals t. and 8 respectively. The. control arms I audit-are mounted on the tube l to rotate relative. to the. tube and. are. provided with. apertured lugs 9. to; which. the control wires 5 are secured as shown.

For releasably locking. the arms I and 8 to the arm 6. so that arms will move as a. unit; latch members. iii are pivotally mounted on. the upper end or the arm. 6.. The. latches H! are engageable with the upper ends oi the arms 1 and; 8. to releasably secure the arms I and 8: to the arm 6. Springs It act on thelatches- Hi to normally urge the same into. engagement. with the arms L' and 8 For manipulating the latches I8= there is provided a bell'crank t2 pivotedto a bracket arm IS on the upper end of the actuatingarm' 6 and connected bywi-res or suitably flexible elements M to the latch members. (See Figures 7" and 8.)

Whenth-elatch members H! are out of engagement with the arms T and 8 these arms may be selectively moved. with the. amt 5 through the medium of a. pin! [5 that projects from the arm ,6. and, is engageable with. notches Hi provided in the arms I and 8.

p Also. the arms 1 and 8' are normally urged to rotate toward one another through the medium of a suitable spring I! associated therewith.

For limiting rotative movement of the arms 1 and 8 under influence of the spring l1 there is provided a slide l8 having thereon relatively spaced stop blocks IS with which are engageable lugs 20 formed on the lower ends of the arms I and 8. The slide [8 operates in a suitable track or rail J9.

For operating the latches l0 and the slide 18 there is suitably mounted on the control stick 2 a hand lever 2| connected to a main cable 22 operating through a suitable sheathing 22a retained in place as at 25-25. This cable 22 is connected with the bell crank l2 through the medium of a cable section 23 and with one end of the slide l8 through the medium of a cable section 24. Cables 23 and 24 are trained over suitable pulleys arranged in the ends of a bracket 26 suitably mounted on the torque tube I, which latter is journaled in suitable bearing standards 21. The slide [8 is normally urged in one direction through the medium of a coilspring'28 secured to one of the lugs l9 .and anchored at one end to one of 1 the bearing standards 27 (see Figure 2) From the above it will be apparent that when the arms I and 8 are latched to the actuating arm 6 as shown in Figure 3 a manipulation of the rod 22 will cause an operation of the ailerons 3 and 4 in the usual manner, that is to say, one of the ailerons will move upwardly and the other downwardly depending upon the direction in which the stick 2 is moved.

However, and in accordance with the present invention, when it is desired, for example, to move the aileron 3 Without affecting the other aileron, for example, the aileron 4 the operator presses the hand lever 2! toward the stick 2 which releases the latches l2 and draws the slide 18 into position so that for example, one of the lugs I9 will be inthe path of the lug of the proper control arm 8. The operator then moves the stick 2 in the proper direction, and the pin l5 on the arm 6 engages the notch ll in the proper arm] or 8, for example, the arm 8, said arm together with the arm 6 will swing in the same direction to assume, for example the positionshown in Figure 4 thus operating the aileron 3. Movement of the other arm, for example, the arm 1 will be prevented by reason of the engagement of its lug 20 with one of the lugs I9. Thus, it will be seen that the aileron 3 may be operatedindependently of the aileron 4. I

To operate the aileron.4 independently of the aileron 3 the operation is substantially the same, the arm I being resorted to obtain this operation as will be clear from a study of Figure 5.

It will be understoodthat my improved control system is not confined solely to aircraft; and that the system may be used equally as well with fwheel type control, or any other type of con, trol which will impart force to the actuating arm of ,the control system; and that the invention comprehends the use of eithercables, as shown, or tubes if the latter be found desirable.

Having thus described the invention what is claimedas new is: a

7 1. In an aileron control system for aeroplanes, the combination with a torque tube, a control stick connected therewith for rotating the tube, of means connectingthe ailerons with the torque tube for operating the latter, to eiiect either a conventional simultaneous operation of the ailerons ora selective operation of the ailerons independently of one another, optionally,said means including an actuating arm mounted on the torque tube to rotate therewith, a pair of aileron control arms mounted on the torque tube and relative to which the tube is rotatableflatch means mounted on the actuator arm and engageable with the control arms for locking said arms together to rotate as a unit whereby to cause a raising of one of the ailerons and a lowering of the other upon arocking movement of the torque tube, means for releasing said latch means, and interengaging means on the actuator arm and I the aileron control arms operable, upon release of said latch means for transmitting movement from the actuator arm to the selected control arm to thereby effect an operation of a selected aileron relative to and independently of the other aileron upon rotation of the torque tube.

2. In an aileron control system for aeroplanes,

. the combination with a torque tube, a control stick connected therewith for rotating the tube, of means connecting the ailerons with thetorque tube for operating the latter, to efiect either a conventional simultaneous operation of the ailerons or a selective operation of the ailerons independentlyof one another, optionally, said means including an actuating arm mounted on the torque tube to rotate therewith, a pair of aileron control arms mounted on the torque tube and relative to which the tube is rotatable, latch means mounted on the actuator arm and engageable with the control arms for locking said arms together to rotate as a unit whereby to cause 2, raising of one of the ailerons and a lowering of the other upon a rocking movement of the torque tube, means for releasing said latch means, and interengaging means on the'actuator arm and the aileron control arms operable, upon release of said latch means for transmitting movement from the actuator arm to the selected control arm to thereby eiiect an operation of a selected aileron relative to and independently of the other aileron upon rotation of the torque tube, said aileron control arms being provided with stop lugs, a slide mounted to move in a plane parallel with the torque tube and provided with stop lugs with which the lugs of the aileron control arms are engageable selectively to retain a selected aileron control arm against rotation incidental to a rotation of one of the aileron control arms.

3. In an aileron control system for aeroplanes, the combination with a torque tube, a control stickconnected therewith for rotating the tube, of means connecting the ailerons with the torque tube for operating the latter, to efiect either a conventional simultaneous operation of the ailerons-or a selective operation of the ailerons independently of one another, optionally, said means including an actuating arm mounted on the torque tube to rotate therewith, a pair of aileron control arms mounted on the torque tube and relative to which the tube is rotatable, latch means mounted on the actuator arm and engageable with the control arms for locking said .arms together to rotate as a unit whereby to tube, said aileron control arms being provided with stop lugs, a slide mounted to move in a plane parallel with the torque tube and provided with stop lugs with which the lugs of the aileron control arms are engageable selectively to retain a selected aileron control arm against rotation incidental to a rotation of one of the aileron control arms, and means for shifting said slide member incidental to a manipulation of said latch means.

4. In an aileron control for aeroplanes of the type including a torque tube, a control stick connected with the tube for manipulating it, and cables connected with the ailerons for transmitting movement' of the torque tube for controlling the ailerons; means operatively connecting said cables with the torque tube for transmitting movement of the torque tube to the ailerons either simultaneously or selectively, optionally,

said means including arms mounted on the torque tube, one for each aileron cable, and relative to which the torque tube is rotatable, remote control means for securing said arms to the torque tube for rotation therewith as a unit to simultaneously operate the ailerons, said means also including means for securing a selected one of said arms to the torque tube for rotationtherewith independently of the other of the arms to thereby effect an operation of a selected aileron independently of the other aileron.

5. In. an aileron control for aeroplanes and in combination with a torque tube, ailerons, and cables for transmitting movement of the torque tube to the ailerons; control arms loosely mounted on the torque tube and connected with said cables, means for placing said control arms into and out of fixed relation relative to the torque tube for transmitting movement of the torque tube to the ailerons for actuating the aileron either simultaneously or selectively independently of one another, optionally.

6. In an aileron control system for aeroplanes, the combination with a torque tube, a control stick connected therewith for rotating the tube, and cable means for transmitting movement of the torque tube to the aileron; of means normally loose on the torque tube and connecting the cables with the torque tube, remote control means for placing said first named means into and out of fixed relation to the torque tube for movement therewith to transmit movement to the ailerons either simultaneously or selectively 5 and independently of one another, optionally, and additional means cooperable with the first named means to insure against casual manipulation of one aileron during the operation of the selected aileron. Q

7. In an aileron control for aeroplanes wherein is included a torque tube and cables for transmitting movement of the torque tube to the ailerons for manipulating the latter, of means connecting the cables with the torque tube for transmitting movement of the torque tube for operating the ailerons together simultaneously or selectively independently of one another optionally, said means including control arms mounted on the torque tube, means for placing said arms into and out of fixed relation relative to the torque tube, and remote control means cooperable with said arms for retaining a selected one of said arms against casual rotation incidental to a positive movement of the other of said arms for operating a selected aileron.

8. In an aileron control for aeroplanes Wherein is included a torque tube and cables for transmitting movement of the torque tube to the ailerons for manipulating the latter, of means connecting the cables with the torque tube for transmitting movement of the torque tubes for operating the ailerons together simultaneously or selectively independently of one another optionally, said means for placing said arms into and out of fixed relation relative to the torque tube, and remote control means cooperable with said arms for retaining a selected one of said arms against casual rotation incidental to a positive movement of the other of said arms for operating a selected aileron, said means including lugs on said arms, a slide, guide means on the slide paralleling the torque tube, and spaced lugs on the slide for cooperation with the lugs on said arms. 45

WESLEY BLAKE HENDERSON. 

